Greenville residents question proposal for $940K fire truck

GREENVILLE — Residents of Greenville peppered their fire commissioners with questions Tuesday night on the proposed purchase of a $940,000 ladder truck.

Comment

By James Nani

recordonline.com

By James Nani

Posted Mar. 15, 2013 at 2:00 AM

By James Nani

Posted Mar. 15, 2013 at 2:00 AM

» Social News

GREENVILLE — Residents of Greenville peppered their fire commissioners with questions Tuesday night on the proposed purchase of a $940,000 ladder truck.

About 35 people made it to the meeting to ask for reasons why the town needs the truck and to gather more information.

Critics of the purchase have said Greenville isn't required to have the truck because it doesn't have buildings taller than 28 feet, the third floors of town homes aren't allowed to be occupied and a majority of driveways in the town can't accommodate a ladder truck.

Supporters, like department Capt. Ed Legrow, said replacing the 35-year-old truck will make it safer for firefighters, letting them extinguish flames on roofs in a suspended bucket without having to lean ladders onto burning homes.

"It makes it easier and safer to vent out the superheated gases," said Legrow.

Refurbishing the truck would cost $1.5 million said Legrow, though critics say the number is inflated. He said the money for the truck is already reserved and wouldn't raise taxes. Critics have argued that past budgets have been inflated specifically to pay for the new truck.

Former fire commissioner chair Martha Ferguson said some houses are built on hills, making the tops of homes 28 feet above the driveway.

Mostly before the housing bust between 2003 and 2004, a crop of newer, larger, more expensive homes popped up in the historically pastoral dairy town. Some said the truck is a way of pulling Greenville further into the modern age.

Commissioner Ed Ardler, who doesn't support a new truck, said he wants to put the truck to a vote instead of a permissive referendum. The department, he said, needs more transparency.